First, there’s the memorable, personalized experience. Brands focus on creative and thoughtful touchpoints, high standards of service, and premium amenities that will build guest satisfaction and provide an unforgettable getaway.
Next, sustainability. With major brands like IHG and Marriott removing all single-use toiletries from their properties, ignoring green initiatives will soon stand out—to a hotel’s detriment.
Finally, cost. While luxury brands certainly spend more per room night than economy brands, budgets are always a consideration. Providing thoughtful experiences and meeting green standards both come with their own associated costs.
Neglect any one of these factors and the resulting imbalance could affect operations and profitability considerably.
How can brands meet all three needs?
Building a Brand Through the On-Site Experience
Cultivating a cohesive brand is partially the purview of hotel staff who anticipate needs, resolve problems, and create a welcoming environment for guests. But face-to-face interactions are minimal in today’s luxury hotel experience.
A welcoming door attendant, helpful front desk agent, friendly housekeeper—these team members are essential to fostering brand loyalty, but they may only interact with the guest for a few minutes during each day of their stay. And in a post-COVID world where contactless check-in and keyless entries are becoming more common, a hotel brand’s tangible assets are more important than ever in establishing the right tone.
These branded touchpoints, whether in the form of physical environments or digital interfaces, create a memorable and distinctive guest experience.
Starting with the lobby, clever or elegant signage begins to make an impression. Takeables like pens, stationery, matchbooks, and business cards prolong the brand experience long after the guest moves on. In-room moments like unique door tags, a convenient coffee and tea service, and luxury toiletries make the stay memorable and comfortable. Even the must-haves like fluffy towels, soft bathrobes, and crisp sheets elevate the brand experience and provide the luxurious ambiance that discerning travelers expect.
Incorporating Sustainability Into Your Brand’s Ethos
Until recent years, many products that are essential to a guest’s experience were treated as disposable. Single-use toiletries, styrofoam coffee cups, and plastic coffee pods have been filling landfills for decades. And even when these items are recyclable, there are rarely recycling receptacles within guest rooms, leaving guests no option but to throw them in the trash.
When planning touchpoints, thoughtful branding and assets are no longer enough. It’s become increasingly important to offer sustainable products and implement eco-friendly policies. A 2022 study found that 78% of global travelers intended to stay in a “green” accommodation over the coming year—an increase from 62% in 2016, and two of the U.S’s biggest states have banned single small single-use toiletry bottles (California’s ban is already in effect and New York’s begins in 2024).
Even without mandates, many hotels are choosing to incorporate more sustainable practices to meet the increasing demand, adapting operations and offerings with new green and eco-friendly initiatives in lobbies, guest rooms, and restaurants. Four Seasons is phasing out single-use plastics company-wide. And some of their properties participate in Clean the World’s soap bar recycling program, among other initiatives.
More than just a response to shifting public opinion, sustainability is becoming an important brand pillar for many luxury hotels. And this can mean a shift in the way these hotels conceptualize and source their products.
The Regency Group Supports the Balance
For luxury hotels looking to strike the right balance between an elevated brand experience and sustainable practices, The Regency Group is the ideal sourcing and procurement partner.
Regency offers extensive options for refillable, sustainable toiletries, eliminating the need for single-use plastics. For disposable goods like stationery, to-go containers, and paper cups, their expert procurement specialists source recyclable and compostable options. Even sustainably-made textiles are feasible with their extensive network of manufacturers and suppliers.
As a full-service print, production, and procurement agency, Regency is the only partner a hotel needs to deliver its entire product suite. Working with one supplier creates a cohesive and bespoke brand experience from check-in to check-out (and beyond), while simplifying the ordering process and eliminating the hassle of managing a host of vendors. Regency’s streamlined end-to-end procurement and implementation process and unmatched network for sourcing eco-friendly products helps put its partner hotel brands at the forefront of the sustainability movement in hospitality.
